SUPRO’s Human Chain Program on “To kick Polluters out of Climate Talks”

On 17 October 2016 Campaign for Good Governance (SUPRO) has organized a Human Chain Program alongside hundreds of groups globally to demand delegates/lawmakers/the global community take urgent action to protect the UN Climate Treaty meetings in Marrakech next month from fossil fuel industry interference. The event is part of the October global days of action, Reclaim Power, in dozens of/more than 50 countries calling for a more just and sustainable energy system and for policymakers to end the undue influence and obstruction of climate policy by transnational fossil fuel corporations. “The Paris Agreement swings the door wide open to interference from industries that want nothing else than to stop progress” said Md. Arifur Rahman, General Secretary of SUPRO, “If we are to keep warming below 1.5 degrees, we must first ensure Big Oil and it’s dirty drilling friends are not writing the rules.” This action, DEMANDED, CALLED FOR, SUPPORTED, COUNTRY’S leaders to advance the movement within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to protect its negotiations from the influence of the fossil fuel industry and other dirty industries. Government leaders first raised the issue last May in Bonn, Germany. “It’s now clearer than ever that the fossil fuel industry and those representing its interests have one goal: self-preservation,” said Tamar Lawrence-Samuel, climate organizer at Corporate Accountability International. “Big Polluters, like Big Tobacco before it, must be cast out of the policymaking process meant to rein it in.”

SUPRO organized a Human chain on Climate Policy

Tough action sought against fossil fuel industries

A human chain was formed in the city demanding that the Bangladesh delegates to the UN climate treaty take decisive action to address the corrosive influence of the fossil fuel industry on climate policy, SUPRO (Campaign for Good Governance) and Corporate Accountability International jointly arranged the human chain in front of National Press Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh on 14th May 2016, Saturday from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm . A number of environmental activists joined the programme. SUPRO general secretary Md Arifur Rahman said, “Thanks to interference from big polluters; the Paris Agreement doesn’t go far enough to prevent the worst effects of climate change here in Bangladesh.”“We, the people, urge our government leaders to take action in Bonn to eliminate the primary obstacle to more ambitious and aggressive action by showing big polluters the door,” he said.It is projected that some 500 to 750 million people will be affected by water stress caused by climate change around the world by 2020. Low-lying coastal regions, such as Bangladesh, are vulnerable to sea level rise and increased occurrence of extreme weather condition.In most countries like Bangladesh, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced to 50 percent by 2020. Being a country with increasing population and hunger, this will have an extremely adverse effect on it food security.

Demand for Constitutional Recognition of Health as a Fundamental Right

Speakers at a press conference demanded constitutional recognition of health as a fundamental right instead of a basic demand to ensure sound public health for all even to the remote areas. They also demanded immediate measures to stop rapid commercialization of health and to enhance budgetary allocation to 3.0 per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the existing 0.74 per cent to bring people of all walks of life under the sound health coverage. They made the demands at a press conference organized by Sushasoner Jonno Procharavizan (SUPRO) on the eve of World Health Day 2016 in association with other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Come to Work, Darpan, ISOL, Jago Nari, SDS, SETU, Sodesh Satkhira & YPSA at Dhaka Reporters Unity on 6 April 2016, Wednesday. SUPRO's Chairperson Ahmed Swapan Mahmud presided over the conference where former National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman and Chief Coordinator of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh Dr Mohammad Abdul Mazid spoke as the main discussant. General Secretary of SUPRO and Chief Executive of YPSA, Md. Arifur Rahman delivered his welcome speech and National Council Member of SUPRO and Executive Director of SETU presented the keynote paper. They said the government must ensure community clinic service for every 6,000 people in accordance with the National Health Policy-2011 and to take proactive measures as far as smooth service and vigorous monitoring are concerned.